“Julian has again impressively demonstrated his value and importance to our squad this season,” declared the Bayer 04 sporting director Simon Rolfes. “He has taken responsibility and led the way when it was particularly needed - in one of the many phases with players out due to injury,” said Rolfes. “We very much look forward to having him in the squad for another year as a proven leader.”
And for sporting managing director Rudi Völler, Baumgartlinger is “an anchor and stabilising factor, especially for our young players. Julian’s experience on and off the pitch is worth it’s weight in gold,” said Völler in praising the 33-year-old midfielder.
Baumgartlinger joined the Werkself in 2016 from FSV Mainz 05 where he was the captain. “The almost five years at the top level here at Leverkusen mean a lot to me. The fact the club is not only sticking with me during my current injury but also continuing to count on me speaks for itself,” said the Austrian. “That confidence does you good. Bayer 04 and everybody associated with the club can be sure I will do all I can, as I have in the past, to justify that.”
Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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No points in the Kraichgau: the Werkself lost 1-0 away to top-six rivals TSG Hoffenheim on Bundesliga Matchday 18. Wouter Burger scored the only goal with a free kick in the ninth minute. In an uneventful contest, the Werkself tried hard to find an equaliser but were repeatedly thwarted.
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The meeting between fifth and sixth on Saturday afternoon (17 January, 15:30 CET) is a hard one to predict. While the Werkself can take confidence from their historic record at TSG Hoffenheim, the hosts are currently enjoying their second-best Bundesliga campaign and have lost just one of their last 10 games. Another good omen for Bayer 04: Daniel Schlager also refereed Leverkusen's last victory in Sinsheim (4-1). The Matchday News.
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At the end of the winter training camp in Portugal, the Bayer 04 Women convincingly mastered their friendly ahead of the start of the second half of the season. In the match against Swiss league leaders Servette FCCF, coach Roberto Pätzold's team won 3-0 at the Monte Gordo Sports Complex. Carlotta Wamser (4’), Vanessa Fudalla (18’) and Loreen Bender (53’) scored for Bayer 04, who have been preparing for the Rückrunde in the Algarve since last Saturday.
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The German Football League (DFL) has rescheduled the postponed fixture at Hamburger SV on Bundesliga matchday 17. The match, due to be played on Tuesday, has now been rescheduled for Wednesday, 4 March (kick-off: 20:30 CET).
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